28-Foot-Tall Mirrored Sculpture Symbolizes Memories of Home | Flint Public Art Project
In light of the tough housing market throughout the past few years, London-based design firm Two Islands designed this large structure as a universal symbol of the thousands of homes lost to foreclosure. Developed by architect William Villalobos with colleagues Cesc Massanas and Tomas Selva, Mark’s House was a 28-foot-tall Tudor-style home that sat high upon a pedestal in a downtown parking lot in Flint, Michigan. Designed to withstand 90 mph winds, the 4,000 pound piece was part of the Flat Lot Competition hosted by Flint Public Art Project.
Covered in mylar, the reflective sculpture mirrored back all of the local faces that came to see the temporary installation and to remember their own homes that had since been foreclosed, abandoned, and demolished. From a distance, the house appeared to be floating in mid-air. However, from up close, the raised home provided an overhead cover during local events and offered a visually captivating appearance that changed with the light and the weather. It could also hold up to 1,500 gallons of water that would be sprayed out onto passers-by during hot summer nights.
To create a sense of global connection, the underside of the sculpture was fitted with more than 850 lightboxes and covered with photographs from 90 Kickstarter supporters all over the world. “As the city contracts, we find comfort in what the future beholds, and that which will soon flourish. Our common values are reflected in our appreciation of what makes an American home, and a family, a prized possession,” says the firm.
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